


Thus Soft Rain Falls O’er War-Scarred Soil

by Isa_renee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Honestly Minnie and Sprout deserve some happiness darn it, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, flangst, it's v fluffy though i promise, mostly fluff tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22842307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isa_renee/pseuds/Isa_renee
Summary: “There was something in the air—she could feel it—hanging over Hogwarts, lingering … It seemed the war had left many scars.”In which they reminisce over tea and McGonagall finally gets a well-deserved break.
Relationships: Minerva McGonagall/Pomona Sprout
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Thus Soft Rain Falls O’er War-Scarred Soil

A cool October mist hung over the castle grounds as Pomona Sprout made her way to the greenhouses. Wind pulled gently at the scarf wrapped lightly around her, the calm breeze catching newly-fallen leaves in the soft rays of early-morning sunlight just barely peeking through the clouded sky. 

Students milled about the grounds, the younger ones running and laughing, yet even their joy had been more reserved in recent days. There was something in the air—she could feel it—hanging over Hogwarts, lingering. She wasn’t sure what it was, but her young Hufflepuffs were missing their characteristic joy, and Minerva often talked of her now-reluctant Gryffindors. It seemed the war had left many scars. 

Foolishly, she had expected things to just return to normal. She was beginning to wonder if anyone even remembered what normal felt like. 

_Scars._

She reached the greenhouses, shrugging off her coat in the warm humidity, and began to tend to her plants. They were smaller and duller than they should have been, despite her ongoing care. 

_Even here the war has left scars._

Sensing someone drawing near, the vines shrunk away, receding into the more dimly-lit back corner. Still they were frightened, even after months of her tender care. This was not the first time she had seen this behavior, yet it was rare for it to continue on so long without respite. But Hufflepuffs are nothing if not persistent. She knew that with time, and some extra love and attention, her plants would be healthy and green once more. 

She reached a hand out to the plant and began to sing softly, a calm melody her mother had taught her in her youth. Slowly, almost reluctantly, the vine crept forward, wrapping loosely around her index finger. Gently, she stroked a leaf, murmuring to the plant, “Shhh. It’ll be alright. You’re safe.”

Reinvigorated by her words, the vine let go and moved back to its plant which seemed suddenly to take on a new life, dancing and swaying happily in the warmth of the greenhouse. 

Pomona laughed at its antics as she watered the rest of the plants, trying still to take her own advice, to reassure herself that things would be alright. She was beginning to learn, though, that the scars the war had left on _people_ , well, those would take a lot more than some nice words to heal, and they might just last a lifetime. 

Her smile diminished slightly as she placed down her watering can and turned back to the castle. 

* * *

Back in the castle, Minerva McGonagall sat in the headmaster’s office— _her_ office, she reminded herself. It still felt wrong. 

Every time she looked up at the door, she expected to see Albus walking through, eccentric robes and all, shaking rain or snow out of his beard, though they both knew full well he could have dried himself with magic. He would laugh and offer some obscure piece of wisdom. But this time there would be no Albus. 

She had failed him, like she had failed so many others. Albus. Severus. Cedric. Collin. Lavender. Lily. James. Sirius. Peter. Remus. Nymphadora. Fred. The list went on. All gone, all dead, all her fault. Pomona tried to reassure her that she couldn’t have done anything, that it was Voldemort’s fault, not hers, that she couldn’t have stopped any of it. But it was no consolation. They were all dead and she wasn’t, and she felt guilty that she had not gone in their place, all those she had loved and cared for and protected. 

Silent tears slipped down her cheeks, smudging the ink of the letter she was writing, still months later helping Miss Granger locate her parents in Australia. She pushed the parchment aside as her tears continued to fall, no longer holding them back. For all she’d lost, for all she could have saved—should have saved—but didn’t, she wept. 

* * *

As her tears began to slow, she heard the telltale rumble of the staircase moving, and quickly composed herself, unsure of who might be visiting her office. But then she heard a familiar knock on the door, and with a soft smile called, “Come in.”

Pomona entered the office, a cheerful smile on her face, with a colorful bouquet of flowers in her hand. “Good morning! I’ve just come back from the greenhouses and–“ 

She caught a glimpse at the expression on Minerva’s face, carefully composed but with uncharacteristic sadness lurking behind that stoic front—after so many years together, she had learned to read the signs—and rushed over to her, placing the flowers on the desk carelessly, so very unlike herself. 

She knelt beside Minerva’s chair and took her hand, cold with the autumn chill. “Min, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“Pomona,” she sighed, voice breaking slightly. “What am I going to do? How can I run Hogwarts, be in charge of all of these students? I couldn’t even–“ she trailed off, lost in thought, a shadow sneaking behind her usually bright eyes. “All gone, because of me.”

“Minerva McGonagall,” Pomona said sternly—rarely did she use the other woman’s full name—taking her face between her hands. “This was _not_ your fault. None of it was. It was _Voldemort’s_ fault. You did everything you could. Don’t blame yourself for what you can’t change.” 

She pressed a light kiss to Minerva’s lips, stroking her calloused thumb across a still-damp cheek. She brushed grey-brown hair back from the other woman’s forehead, stroking the side of her face fondly. 

“Min, love. Listen to me. I know it’s hard. So much has happened and now you’re Headmistress on top of everything. But you can’t keep blaming yourself. Look at all the good you’ve done! The castle is rebuilt. The students are safe now. You even somehow found a defense professor, and the students seem to like her.” At that Minerva gave a slight laugh and smiled at her. 

“There’s that smile I so love!” She stood and once again grabbed Minerva’s hand. “Now come on. Let’s get you some tea and biscuits.”

* * *

After stopping by the kitchens, the two sat in Pomona’s quarters, each sipping on a mug of tea. (And if that tea was mixed with something a bit stronger, well, no one had to know.)

Pomona looked out the fogged window at the castle grounds, overcast in a blanket of grey. She leaned back in her chair, sipping on her hot drink with a cheerful hum. “I think it may rain.”

Minerva smiled at that, as Pomona had expected. She had always loved the rain and often talked of how it reminded her of her childhood and simpler days. 

“I think some rain will do us good. My plants still aren’t entirely back to normal, despite my efforts. Some rain will be nice. A fresh start.”

Minerva only nodded, saying nothing, still obviously feeling down despite her efforts. 

“Do you remember our first date? All those years ago.” Already, Minerva gave a hint of a smile as the memory came to mind, so she continued. “We were walking through Hogsmeade, on a day quite like this one, if I recall, when all of a sudden the sky opened up and rain started pouring down! We were both so nervous, I think, that neither of us had had the foresight to bring a brolly. We ran for cover under the eaves behind Honeydukes. 

“Once we reached cover you started laughing like mad, and of course I joined in. My nerves all melted away in that moment. And then you kissed me for the first time. You always were the brave one, you with your Gryffindor courage. I had always admired you, but I think that was when I truly knew just how much I wanted this to work. And it really did work out, didn't it? Quite well, I must say.”

Minerva looked over at her, such a tender expression in her eyes that Pomona thought she might just melt right there from the love bursting in her heart for the other woman.

“Oh Pomona. What did I ever do to deserve someone like you?” 

“Come on, now! I'm not that bad!” she replied in jest, causing the other woman to laugh sweetly. “I may be a tad sentimental, but that's no reason to–”

Minerva cut her off by leaning across the table, capturing her mouth in a soft kiss. 

“Thank you. Truly. For everything you've done all these years. I’d have been long lost without you by my side.”

“I’d say the same but I’m not sure that would even begin to cover it, Mins.”

“I love you so much,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair, Pomona’s hand in hers. 

“And you know I feel the same way, but somehow I never tire of saying it, or hearing it for that matter. I love you too, of course, more than I ever could have expected.”

The two smiled at each other, the grief and heartache of the years seeming to melt away in the warmth of their joy together. 

“Now Min. Minnie. Love. It’s the weekend after all, and I do believe you deserve a bit of a break. How about we spend the day together, just the two of us?”

Minerva sighed contentedly. “Yes, I think I’d like that.”

And for a long time, the only sound to be heard was the quiet music of their laughter, caught up in the joy of old memories, and the making of new ones. 

* * *

As the sun reached its noonday peak, golden light streaming through the low-reaching clouds, the sky opened up in a brilliant shower, scattering its colors for all the world to see. Children laughed, splashing through the puddles, running for cover from the rain. From the castle, two lovers watched in contented silence, fondly reminiscing. As the new water seeped into the soil, the earth gave a shudder, cleansed at last from the abiding darkness. In a rapturous burst of light, the greenhouse sprung full of life, bright green and colorful, dazzling in its renewed splendor, thriving, as the last lingering scars finally healed over, and the land again knew peace. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first real fic so I would really appreciate any feedback. I hope you all enjoyed it. These two are adorable and I just had to write something. A huge thanks once again to my beta @theythinkimabitch. You’re the best!


End file.
